30 Thanksgiving Recipes & Christmas Dinner Ideas - Kitchen Girl (2024)

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Looking for crowd-loving Thanksgiving recipes and Christmas dinner ideas that won't stress you out? Grab these easy appetizers, salads, entrees, sides, and desserts suited for both casual and formal Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Most of these recipes are gluten free and can be made-ahead. Some are even vegan! My super scrumptious roast turkey breast recipe and my air fryer turkey breast lets you skip right past the intimidation of cooking a whole turkey. Yeah, let's do this!

30 Thanksgiving Recipes & Christmas Dinner Ideas - Kitchen Girl (1)

Go ahead and steal these easy Thanksgiving recipes and Christmas dinner ideas! Categories include appetizers, salads, mains, sides, and desserts. Many of these recipes can be made ahead, which makes your Thanksgiving dinner more efficient and makes YOU feel like a rockstar!

You'll notice that many of the recipes are gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan! But I've never had any complaints about them tasting too healthy, even though some of them really are!

Oh, and if you're looking for ways to use leftover turkey, we rounded up 40 of them just for you!

Easy Thanksgiving dinner recipes for appetizers, salads, entrees, sides, and dessert. This collection is suitable for formal AND casual holiday dinners. You'll find endless ideas for Thanksgiving or Christmas breakfast recipes, holiday potlucks, Christmas brunch recipes, and the list goes on. There are endless gluten free Thanksgiving recipes too!

Table of Contents hide

1) Breakfast or Brunch

2) Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe

3) Dutch Baby Pancake

4) Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe

5) Vegetarian Crustless Quiche

6) Smoked Salmon Dip with Greek Yogurt

7) Appetizers

8) Christmas Charcuterie

9) Cranberry Brie Crostini

10) Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

11) Herb Artichoke White Bean Dip

12) How To Make Crostini

13) Mains and Sides

14) Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

15) Air Fryer Turkey Breast

16) Easy Spiral Ham Recipe

17) King Crab Legs Recipe (Cooked 4 Ways)

18) Gravy Without Drippings

19) Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream

20) Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

21) Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (No Drain)

22) Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

23) Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup

24) Fresh Green Bean Casserole Recipe

25) Sausage Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

26) Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

27) Pomegranate Cranberry Relish

28) Vegan Green Bean Casserole

29) Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

30) Smashed Roasted Potatoes

31) Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

32) Savory Sweet Potato Salad

33) Squash Mac and Cheese

34) Desserts

35) Apple Cranberry Crisp

36) Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

38) Edible Gifts

39) Peppermint White Chocolate Pretzels

40) Christmas Rice Krispie Treats

41) Chocolate Covered Nuts Recipe

Breakfast or Brunch

30 Thanksgiving Recipes & Christmas Dinner Ideas - Kitchen Girl (2)

Blood Orange Mimosa Recipe

This Blood Orange Mimosa is a spin on a classic mimosa recipe, made with blood orange juice in place of orange juice. It's less sweet than a classic mimosa and is garnished with rosemary for aroma and flavor. It's a simple, elegant, daytime co*cktail.

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Dutch Baby Pancake

Dutch baby is a light, puffy, golden brown pancake served with fresh fruit, powdered sugar, and maple syrup for breakfast or brunch. This easy dutch baby recipe requires a 5-minute prep, 15-minute bake, and no special skills.

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Cranberry Walnut Bread Recipe

Cranberry Walnut Bread is a fluffy, plump, slightly sweet bread perfect for turkey sandwiches or toasted with soft cheese. This simple yeast bread recipe is mixed by hand or stand mixer and perfect for bread beginners.

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Vegetarian Crustless Quiche

Start your holiday with the perfect breakfast! This Vegetarian Crustless Quiche is a hassle-free, low carb breakfast casserole with eggs, bell peppers, mushrooms, and your choice of leafy greens. It’s made without crust, so it's naturally gluten-free. You can even make it ahead!

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Smoked Salmon Dip with Greek Yogurt

Enjoy a holiday brunch with this easy salmon dip recipe. It's made with smoked salmon, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and fresh dill. Serve with crackers, crostini, bagels, or vegetables.

Appetizers

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Christmas Charcuterie

Easy Christmas charcuterie board made with cured meats, cheeses, nuts, jam, crackers, and seasonal ingredients. It's the perfect sweet and savory snack or appetizer for every holiday gathering.

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Cranberry Brie Crostini

Cranberry Brie Crostini is a simple crostini recipe topped with brie cheese, pomegranate cranberry relish, and walnuts. This savory, sweet, crostini appetizer is love at first bite and will make your mouth water just thinking about it!

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Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

This Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe is made with cream cheese, yogurt, artichokes, fresh spinach, parmesan cheese, and mayo. Bake-and-serve in a bread bowl or oven-safe dish. Once you try it, you'll be tempted to make spinach artichoke dip for every future gathering.

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Herb Artichoke White Bean Dip

This White Bean Dip is an easy bean dip recipe made with cannellini beans, artichokes, fresh herbs, and (optional) feta cheese. Serve this scrumptious dip with crackers, vegetables, or bread for any occasion and watch it fly off the plate!

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How To Make Crostini

Toasted bread slices with olive oil and salt. Perfect for bruschetta!

Mains and Sides

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Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast is a bone-in, turkey breast half, brushed with herbed butter and olive oil, and baked to perfection. This juicy number with slightly crispy skin is perfectly sized for smaller meals. Serve roast turkey breast for holiday meals or weeknight dinner!

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Air Fryer Turkey Breast

Golden brown air fryer turkey breast with a tender, juicy inside. Air fried bone-in or boneless turkey breast is ready to eat in 40 minutes!

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Easy Spiral Ham Recipe

This spiral ham recipe is juicy, tender, and never dry. Instructions include an easy orange glaze that pairs beautifully with the savory holiday ham flavors.

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King Crab Legs Recipe (Cooked 4 Ways)

Alaskan king crab legs recipe: pressure cooked, grilled, baked, or steamed, I'm showing you how to cook crab legs to perfection.

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Gravy Without Drippings

How to make gravy without drippings and only 5 ingredients! It's the perfect last-minute or make ahead turkey gravy for any dinner!

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Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream

If you love mashed potatoes, you'll go crazy for this sour cream mashed potato recipe. It includes all the steps for perfectly rich and creamy mashed potatoes the whole family loves!

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Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

How to cook Instant Pot sweet potatoes tender, fluffy, and perfect. No peeling or chopping makes pressure cooker sweet potatoes even faster!

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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (No Drain)

Instant Pot mashed potatoes with heavy cream are rich, fluffy, delicious, and guaranteed to disappear at any meal. Perfect for holiday dinner!

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Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad

This shaved Brussels sprout salad recipe is festive, healthy, and loaded with raw produce like Brussels sprouts, kale, pomegranate, and apples. It's the perfect fall and winter dinner salad!

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Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup

This mushroom soup recipe is so rich and creamy, even with the no-cream option. Button mushrooms simmered in a silky cream broth make homemade mushroom soup a delicious substitute for canned soup!

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Fresh Green Bean Casserole Recipe

Fresh green bean casserole with velvety mushroom soup and French fried onion topping is an essential Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish. No canned soup or beans needed!

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Sausage Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Sausage apple stuffing is a variation of a classic Thanksgiving dressing recipe with sausage, apples, cranberries, and nutty topping. It's savory, sweet, and always disappears!

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Cranberry Sauce with Orange Juice

Cranberry orange sauce is a mouthwatering holiday cranberry sauce with subtle citrus flavor from orange juice and orange zest. Quick and easy!

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Pomegranate Cranberry Relish

This Pomegranate Cranberry Relish recipe has pomegranate and cranberries, macerated in sugar, creating a sweet and tart relish. Make cranberry relish a day or two ahead for deep flavor!

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Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Vegan Green Bean Casserole with fresh green beans, vegan mushroom soup, caramelized onions, and a crispy Panko and almond topping. So creamy and delectable, you won't believe it's a dairy free green bean casserole.

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Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

A cream of mushroom soup that's vegan AND gluten free? Yep! It's so rich and creamy, no one will ever believe it's vegan mushroom soup!

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Smashed Roasted Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes are crispy roasted potatoes with a soft inside where baby potatoes are cooked, smashed, oiled, and baked to crispy perfection. Serve smashed potatoes sprinkled with salt or your favorite toppings as an appetizer or side dish for any meal.

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Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Savory, sweet, roasted Brussels sprouts with SO much flavor and texture. Fresh Brussels sprouts are oven roasted with fennel and onion, maple syrup-drizzled, then topped with pomegranate and pepitas. Perfect for holiday meals or ANY meal calling for a healthy side dish.

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Savory Sweet Potato Salad

Savory Sweet Potato Salad is made with sweet potatoes, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, arugula, dried cherries, and pomegranate, in apple cider vinaigrette. This sweet potato salad is loaded with texture and flavor!

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Squash Mac and Cheese

This squash mac and cheese is a comforting pasta dish that's velvety, creamy, and perfect for your holiday dinner as a meatless main or side dish that pairs with any protein.

Desserts

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Apple Cranberry Crisp

Pear Cranberry Apple Crisp is a simple, warm, holiday dessert. Fresh pears, apples, and cranberries are nestled in a scrumptiously sweet sauce under a crispy oat and walnut topping. It's so juicy and delicious ... one of our favorite holiday recipes.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

This easy no bake peanut butter pie recipe is made with fluffy peanut butter cream cheese filling on graham cracker crust with velvety chocolate topping. It's rich, creamy, and loved by everyone!

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Bananas Foster

New Orleans-inspired EASY Bananas Foster recipe with bananas cookedin a caramel rum sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream. Date night approved

Edible Gifts

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Peppermint White Chocolate Pretzels

Peppermint white chocolate pretzels are pretzel rods dipped in melted white chocolate coated with crushed peppermint candy. Make these easy, sweet and salty Christmas pretzel rods for holiday snacks and edible gifts.

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Christmas Rice Krispie Treats

Christmas Rice Krispie Treats are classic rice Krispie treats topped with white chocolate and peppermint candy. This no-bake holiday treat is fun, easy, and downright crave-worthy.

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Chocolate Covered Nuts Recipe

This chocolate-covered nuts recipe is made with mixed nuts drizzled with salted dark chocolate. They are the perfect sweet and salty snack – a welcome addition to any brunch spread.

30 Thanksgiving Recipes & Christmas Dinner Ideas - Kitchen Girl (2024)

FAQs

What are the 10 most popular Thanksgiving foods? ›

Top 10 Thanksgiving Dishes
  1. Turkey.
  2. Stuffing/Dressing.
  3. Pumpkin Pie.
  4. Sweet Potato Casserole.
  5. Mashed Potatoes.
  6. Ham.
  7. Green Bean Casserole.
  8. Cranberry Jelly.
Nov 22, 2023

What are the top 20 Thanksgiving foods in America? ›

Top 20 Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Creamy Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes.
  • Turkey Gravy.
  • Pumpkin Pie.
  • Southern Pecan Pie.
  • Apple Pie.
  • Baked Apple Pies.
  • Caramel Apple Pie Bars.
  • Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.

What are 5 traditional Thanksgiving foods? ›

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer. The classic Thanksgiving dinner includes old-time favorites that never change: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, veggies, and pie.

What are 3 main foods on Thanksgiving? ›

Many Americans would regard Thanksgiving dinner as "incomplete" without stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cranberry sauce. A recipe for cranberry sauce to be served with turkey appeared in the first American cookbook, American Cookery (1796) by Amelia Simmons.

What are 4 other traditional Thanksgiving foods? ›

Of course, everybody knows that a traditional Thanksgiving dinner consists of turkey, ham, green been casserole, potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, etc.

What is the most unpopular Thanksgiving food? ›

The Most Disliked Traditional Thanksgiving Foods
  • Ham — 25.57%
  • Coleslaw — 25.57%
  • Pumpkin Pie — 24.28%
  • Mashed Potatoes — 18.66%
  • Macaroni and Cheese — 17.47%
  • Carrots — 16.98%
  • Apple Pie — 16.29%
  • Corn — 15.50%
Nov 21, 2023

What is the unhealthiest Thanksgiving food? ›

Worst: Sausage Stuffing

It's often made with fatty processed meat, butter or margarine, and refined bread or rice. It's a high-calorie food that packs a load of fat, carbs, and nitrates, which are cancer-causing. If you add dried cranberries, there's a good chance they're sweetened and add sugar to your stuffing.

What is the most favorite dessert on Thanksgiving? ›

In general, pie reigns supreme as a Thanksgiving dessert. While some families have their nice selections of pie servings, tradition says apple, pumpkin pie, and a southern pecan pie are the go-tos, typically made with a buttery pastry pie crust.

What is the most common Thanksgiving meal? ›

The 10 Most Popular Thanksgiving Dishes
  • Roast turkey. We've already filled you in on how to carve a turkey like a chef. ...
  • Stuffing. Good stuffing is key to a successful Thanksgiving dinner. ...
  • Mashed potatoes. ...
  • Green bean casserole. ...
  • Corn casserole. ...
  • Sweet potato casserole. ...
  • Honey-glazed Brussels sprouts. ...
  • Cranberry sauce.
Nov 2, 2022

How many side dishes should you have for Thanksgiving? ›

For sides like mashed potatoes and stuffing, you should have at least one dish for every five people and at least two dishes for 10 people or more. If you're serving a salad, one should be enough unless you're serving 20 people or more.

What is the most common main dish for Thanksgiving dinner? ›

Turkey is a classic main course for Thanksgiving dinner, but that certainly doesn't mean you have to serve it every year.

What do most people eat on Christmas? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

What do Americans eat on Christmas Day? ›

Roast turkey and ham are popular for Christmas dinner throughout the country, but depending on the region, so are tamales, roast goose with red cabbage, crawfish jambalaya, roast pork or “seven fishes” seafood salad.

What is the most eaten food on Thanksgiving? ›

Mashed Potatoes

It is one of the easiest and most popular entrees. Mashed potatoes are one of the only Thanksgiving items that comes in an “instant” version, making it easily accessible to those of all cooking abilities. After turkey, mashed potatoes rank as the most popular Thanksgiving dish as of 2020.

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